


you've discovered something you don't even have a name for

by orphan_account



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Canon Compliant, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M, One Shot, Post-Time Skip, Semi sings and Shirabu is experiencing, musician! Semi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-03
Updated: 2020-07-03
Packaged: 2021-03-05 02:27:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25046875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Now, before his eyes is a former teammate, a civil servant, a musician, and something Kenjirou can’t name.
Relationships: Semi Eita/Shirabu Kenjirou
Comments: 5
Kudos: 135
Collections: Shiratorizawa Fanweek 2020





	you've discovered something you don't even have a name for

**Author's Note:**

> Song is Shiver by Coldplay.

A couple heads turn into his direction when he enters the double doors of the bar. One of them is Tendou’s, his red buzzcut is brighter than ever under the red blinking lights of the place, beside him is Reon. He waves at Kenjirou, so he makes way to the table not too far from the entrance, around chattering people with their drinks on the table, in their hands on the way to their mouth.

‘You made it!’ Tendou claps his back before he can untangle the strap of his bag from his body. He bows a greeting to Reon who smiles at him in return. ‘Sorry I’m late.’ He says, finally taking his sit between the two. Although far, his chair is directly facing the empty stage now, it’s dark, a thin artificial smoke curling on the floor.

‘Nah, you’re just in time. They’re up next.’ Tendou pushes a single-page menu towards him, he scans through it for a minute and decides on a Long Island iced tea. It’s Friday, a drink or two wouldn’t hurt in the morning, he might even finish a reading when he gets home later.

After his drink arrives, and in a middle of catching up with his former teammates the lights around them dims, still red, Tendou’s buzzcut a silhouette. The chatter tones down, too. A spotlight now illuminates the stage. There are three guitars on the stands, amplifiers beside them. A set of drums placed further back, a single microphone stands in the centre, cords on the floor like veins.

Suddenly, Kenjirou is aware. Any moment now Semi will walk on that stage, picks up the bass guitar - the longest one. He knows because Semi had told him years ago over a phone call.

☾

_By the way, I’m in a band now._ He said it so casually but Kenjirou can pick up the satisfaction from his static voice. ‘Tell me more.’ He asked. _I play the bass and write some songs._

Kenjirou met Semi through volleyball, learned about him through quiet scuffle between practices. Semi plays extravagantly, with freedom, he done things the way he likes it. The way he knows how to make the best of it. He learns more about him when Kenjirou takes the captain position and Semi no longer plays volleyball. A Legal Management student who drinks way too much iced Americano, with fresh piercings to look after everyday until they heal. Now, a civil servant, and something Kenjirou can’t name.

☾

‘There’s my boy!’ Reon says excitedly. As a group of four men emerges from the left side of the stage. They’re all familiar to him, Semi had sent him photos of them. Had seen them on the physical albums he owns, one he bought at the record store and one from Semi complete with a signature of him because he is like that. Told Kenjirou he can auction it when they hit it big. He rolled his eyes that time but smiles whenever he sees it on his desk.

Semi is the last one to reach his spot, he watches him with trained eyes like this man in front of him is something under his microscope. He’s wearing a leather jacket, white shirt now tinted red hanging too low revealing a cross necklace. His hair a bit longer the last time Kenjirou had seen him. Grey with dark tips. Earrings and studs line the shell of his ears, glinting under the lights. Like he’s something he has examined under his microscope, Kenjirou is stunned.

He picks up the guitar- the longest one, wears its strap and strums it once.He twists some of the tuning heads of the bass guitar, plucks the strings until he is satisfied with how it sounds. He crouches to reach the amplifier then did something with it Kenjirou cannot see. He watches Semi do his rituals, watches him put theory into practice with his hands.

The room is much quieter, not the dull kind of silence but more of an anticipation. Like the people know you need silence before this. _Have they watched Semi’s band more than once?_ He stirs his drink with the straw and drinks half of it in one go.

The lead vocalist taps the microphone, strums his electric guitar feeding the amplifier with signal before reaching the speakers to produce the sound. They play their first song which is also their first single. Kenjirou recognizes it. Semi had proudly announced it on their group chat stating that he also co-wrote the song. It came out two years ago, tonight is the first time he will hear it live.

It’s only about time their eyes meet, he’s sure it’ll happen because he hasn’t stop starring at him since he first stepped out. He’s shameless now — Kenjirou, he has waited for this moment. A revelation of a side of Semi he haven’t personally met. Now, before his eyes is a former teammate, a civil servant, a musician, and something Kenjirou can’t name.

He grins at him, acknowledging his presence in the room. Semi looks back at him as ifhe’s been waiting for this moment since he told him he’s going to play in a band. Kenjirou doesn’t smile instead he holds Semi’s gaze, grey eyes sharp against the blood orange haze of the stage. Semi’s grin grows wider as if he knows what he’s trying to say. _I’m here._

Their moment is brief, ending when Semi continues to watch his own hand shift along the neck of his guitar. Smile still etched on his lips, head swaying to the music, loose fingers plucking the strings with precision.

☾

“ _What’s your genre_?” Kenjirou asked over the phone.

“ _Hmm. Alternative rock_.”

“ _Oh. Are you going to sing_?” He minimized the wikipedia page he was reading to open Spotify and look for alternative bands. Saved a couple of them to listen after the phone call. 

“ _Our vocalist is good, I’ll let him do his job. Do you want me to sing? I’ll sing right now._ ”

☾

They play songs after songs, around the end of their set Semi has manage to lose the leather jacket, quickly throwing it on the side of the stage earning a wolf whistle from Tendou. He shakes his head but chuckles to himself. A round of applause echoes in the room as the front man ends the song with a single strum of his electric guitar.

Tendou and Reon’s hands are up in the air unlike Kenjirou’s whose own clapping hands are close to his chest. Smile unknowingly forming on his lips.

He finishes his Long Island iced tea, now watered down by the melting ice.

“May I have your attention again.” The vocalist of the group says into the microphone. The bar falls silent again waiting for the man to continue his spiel.

“Thank you.” He says, wiping the sweat on his face with his forearm. “Our dear bassist over here, Eita is his name has something special for us tonight.” He steps out of microphone to give way for Semi who is walking over with an acoustic guitar he picked up from the stand. Semi takes the vocalist’s place and adjusts the microphone to his height.

Kenjirou’s not staring at him, except he is. If he is obvious it’s only known to Tendou and Reon whose faces are ecstatic, it’s unbearable. Semi leans closer to the microphone, the same for the audience leaning closer to the stage, the most of it they can get, gravitated. From his periphery Kenjirou can see some placing their heads in their hands, expectant.

“Ahh. Thank you for letting me do this.” Semi says bashful. He’s red, and orange and purple at the same time. And Kenjirou sits a little bit straighter, allowing the chill to run up his spine in a straight lingering line.

“Tonight someone special to me is here to watch me for the first time since I started playing in this band. I want to dedicate this song to him.” _Ohhhs_ and _Awws_ fills the the small bar room. He can feel his friends eyes are on him, knowing. His heart is beating faster, fingertips slightly going numb against the roughness of his blue jeans. Semi is red, and orange and purple under the dancing lights and he’s going to sing for Kenjirou now.

Semi looks back at his bandmates prompting them the start of the song. It begins with the blend of the acoustic and electric guitars, following by the beat of the drums. It’s an English song Kenjirou knows well from a popular western band. He tries his best not to think of anything else, he’s in this room now, long over due, he’s never wanted anything more but this. It took him long enough to witness Semi perform with his band, took him long to realize that Semi takes him as someone special. Took him longer to catch up, but he’s here now. He will listen.

Semi sings the first line of the song. Sings it directly to Kenjirou, they’re seeing each other eye to eye. It’s only him and Semi, and the first time he’s hearing him sing.

He closes his eyes from time to time and when they open again Kenjirou can imagine himself looking in the mirror. For a moment, in between words being sung, he feels the freedom Semi speaks of. His voice — rough around the edges, tender, and all Kenjirou could ask for.

_Yeah I'll always be waiting for you,_ he sings, although singing in front of a crowd he knows it’s only for him. _For you I will always be waiting._ For me he thinks. _For me. For me. For me._ A promise.

Kenjirou is here now.

Semi finishes the song with a bow and flashes a smile over their table at the back, earning a thumbs up from Tendou. It’s the only time he looks away from the stage, away from Semi since the moment he started singing. His erratic heart beating is yet to cease, he bites his bottom lip to bring back the colour. He’s pretty sure he’s pale as hell right now, he always is. His time is always spent inside the classroom, laboratories and the confines of his dorm room.

He tries his best to look composed when Semi approaches them, guitar case slung over his back, he’s wearing the leather jacket again. “How was our set?” He asks them, gaze lingering longer at Kenjirou.

“You’re amazing, bro!” Reon says doing a fist bump with Semi.

“We’re going to head out first.” Tendou is already walking towards the door, tugging Reon’s arm.

“Nice set Semi, loved the last part!” He waves at them before they disappear behind the doors.

They’re purposely leaving the two of them behind, those two little shit.

“So?” 

“So?” Kenjirou wants to ask what the hell was that just to confirm his theory.

“Do you want a drink?” Semi asks pointing at the deserted bar.

“Only if you’re having one.”

“I’m driving,” he winces.

“You could drive me home.” Semi’s eyes shine triumphantly.

☾

It’s only eleven p.m. when they pull up at the university dormitories parking lot. Kenjirou steps out of the passenger’s seat with his bag. Semi gets out too, leaving the door open and props an arm on the car’s roof.

He knows he has to do something because under the night sky, the moon and the stars, Semi is here waiting for him.

“Do you want to come up?” Kenjirou asks then. “I’ll be studying for a bit, but you can hang around if you want.”

“I’ll watch you study.” Semi replies, closing the door of his car and starts walking towards the grey building . He follows him, jogs a little bit to match his strides. And then Kenjirou does something he has never done before — he reaches for Semi’s right hand. He didn’t ask why, or raises an eyebrow at him. He holds Kenjirou’s hands in his bigger ones, laces their fingers together and holds them tight.

They hold hands until they reach Kenjirou’s door, he lets themselves in and flicks the switch of his floor lamp. It’s not the first time he had invited Semi into his space, he’s been here a couple of times but now it’s different. He is here after he had dedicated a song to him, after he said Kenjirou is someone special. He’s here after Kenjirou had held his hand while they walk here. He observes Semi, he has taken the small couch pressed to the wall, taking off the jacket _again._

“Wha-what do you mean when you said I’m someone special?” He stands there in the middle of the small room, heart shooting up in his throat.

He pretends to consider his question before he smiles, more to himself than to Kenjirou whose cheeks are probably flushed, waiting for his answer.

“Are you going to take a seat or do you want me to stand up?” Kenjirou tries his best not to whack his head. He rolls his eyes and takes the space beside him.

Semi then tugs the sling of his bag, taking the heavy thing off of Kenjirou and sets it down at their feet. “I mean it.” He starts, turns to the side to face him. “Your smart, Shirabu, I know you know what I mean. But I’m glad you asked.” Their knees are bumping with each other fabric to fabric, almost skin to skin.

“All you have to do is ask. And I’ll tell you everything from the start up to the day I realized that the songs I’m writing started to take shape of a person.” He doesn’t tell who that person is because Kenjirou is smart and he knows.

He answers him, words raw and full of certainty. Kenjirou can’t ignore the feeling growing in his stomach nor how his heart is inches away from clawing out of his mouth. He’s no good with beautiful words, he does not write songs. He write facts and findings and observations. Hypotheses and conclusions.

Tonight, here in his cramped dorm room enveloped in yellow light, Kenjirou forms a conclusion. Before him is Semi, former teammate, a civil servant, a musician, and a lover. If he looks closer he’ll see himself in Semi’s eyes and Semi will find himself in his.

I want him to kiss me, he thinks and so he asks. “Can you kiss me?”

Semi’s hand is shaky when he lifts it to cup his jaw. It’s warm against his cheek, palm soft against his flesh, there’s roughness on the tips of his fingers calloused from years of playing the guitar. A wielder of many things — for now and forever they will hold Kenjirou.

So he kisses Kenjirou, gentle and warm. He kisses Kenjirou’s smile, the left side and then the right and goes for another kiss, deeper this time. Kenjirou opens his mouth for him, tongue sliding against his own, velvet and sweet. He finds Semi’s hair, long and tangled and buries a hand there. They kiss like they’ve done it all these years. _They’ve waited for this all these years._

☾

“Are you really going to watch me study?” Kenjirou looks up from his biochemistry book, Semi is sitting on his couch beside him while he tries his best to read a passage from his book.

“That’s what I told you earlier.” He replies then continues to act all dreamy. Kenjirou chucks a pen cap at him.

“ I cannot take you seriously.”

Semi chuckles, picking up the cap off the floor then stands up to deliver it to his desk. He can get used to this, more of Semi, here and outside. More of Semi’s band gigs, more of him driving Kenjirou around when he needs a break from all the exam and studying. More of him.

Semi reaches out, takes Kenjirou’s hand pulling him close before they collide back to the couch.

**Author's Note:**

> This feel like it's all over the place...but I have to write it for myself and for all the semishira fuckers out there <333


End file.
